The Head of The Snake
Posted on Wed Jan 30th, 2019 @ 4:37am by Legate 1 Markuul
Edited on on Wed Jan 30th, 2019 @ 4:39am
2,307 words; about a 12 minute read
Mission:
Episode 6 - Old Habits Die Hard
Location: Cardassia Prime
Timeline: MD001 1100 hrs
In the time since Markuul got off the line with the Pioneer he had been strategizing. The fact was he may have backed himself into a corner. He told Malbrooke that he had eyes and ears on the ground. However, the fact was he didn't. Markuul had to tell Starfleet that he had someone or they would not come. So, he was brought to digging through the service records of the Cardassian Defense Fleet on Cardassia Prime.
Markuul had been sifting through the records for the better part of an hour, and felt like his eyes were going to bleed. He leaned back in his chair, sipped his kanar and sighed. That is when it hit him, the name slapped the Gul right in the face, Glen Brecat Jerane. Markuul knew the man's father Naltar, the old Cardassian smiled broadly as he remembered the man. The smile wiped away just as quickly when he remembered how his friend had been missing. According to the records it seemed that Jerane served on the planet surface as a commander of a security detachment. "Bingo..." Markuul said with a laugh as he opened a secure channel to the junior officer.
As Brecat was finishing up the last of his work for the morning he leaned back in his chair and stretched while letting out a yawn. A flashing light indicated he had a new message. Opening it however he took note of the subject line. It was blank which indicated it came from the notification system he'd jury rigged to let him know when someone had reached back out to him. It also confirmed the reports he sent out through the emergency system were reaching somebody out there. He stood up and locked his console as he made his way outside of the building and found a nearby public terminal in a private booth. He remoted into the archaic emergency management system and re routed the incoming signal to him after verifying encryption of the signal. A face appeared that he didn't recognize, but he did take note of the rank. And it was obvious the man was on a ship.
Brecat spoke first "Gul...?"
Markuul nodded in the affirmative. "Yes Glen Jerane, I am Gul Markuul commander of the Cardassian Defense Fleet. I am an old friend of your father's. I am contacting you because we got your emergency signals and believe you to be someone on the side of Cardassia, not on their own side. We have a plan to alleviate the situation on the ground. However, we are going to need your assistance. Do you think you are up to the task? Once more are you willing?" As he spoke Markuul could hear the omnipresent announcements that were commonplace during the rule of the central command. For one fleeting moment Markuul thought he recognized the voice, and shiver danced up his spine.
For a moment Brecat paused in shock. How could he have failed to recognize the man? He'd make more time to learn senior most leadership instead of being so caught up in his own little world. "My apologies Gul Markuul. Things here have been an unfortunate distraction, however I am presuming you or someone you know have received the reports I've already sent? As soon as things happened I began collecting intelligence as soon as I could and worked on getting the reports out." Some had only been a few lines but something was better than nothing.
Brecat took note that he'd failed to answer the mans questions although he had presumed the answers were obvious judging by his previous actions. "I am here to serve Cardassia and of course those that support it. What are your orders sir?" His demeanor had returned to that of the typical solid stature they typically projected.
"We have indeed received your reports and they have been invaluable thus far. You are to continue sending them whenever possible. Once more you are to make whoever has taken over the government that you as a Security Detachment Commander are on their side." Markuul replied and squinted at the man, he was not sure if he could trust him with the rest of the plan. But if he were Naltar's boy then he should be trustworthy. "In three days time the Federation starship Pioneer will be entering orbit under a banner of humanitarian aide. You will rendezvous with Commander O Flannagain that vessel's Executive Officer. You are to offer the Commander any assistance that he may require. Do you have any questions thus far?"
Brecat listened intently taking note of a discrepancy that almost caused him to roll his eyes. While Cardassians were typically very astute, ensuring assignment updates were posted in the central database always had taken longer than he thought it should. It wasn't that fact however that caused a look of disdain on his face which would be apparent to anyone that saw. "Sir, I no longer command my old detachment. I transferred command recently however in my current post I have access to several areas and can continue my surveillance without drawing attention. My bigger concern however remains in getting the Federation involved. What business is it of theirs? Surely we can handle this on our own." He was aware the reports he'd provided gave a grim outlook but that didn't mean they needed outside assistance to resolve what had happened.
"Getting the Federation involved was Garak's decision. And if you ask me a good one. It seems this threat is coming from within. Cardassian command codes are being used to lock out systems. We have been locked out and cannot beam down to the surface. As you are no doubt aware the woman who took the council hostage has been a loyal friend and colleague. It is best to get an outside influence to assist in sussing this out. As for the most part we are unaware of who can and can't be trusted. I personally believe that the Order is behind this, however, at the moment I do not have evidence." Markuul spoke clearly and concise. Although his attention was split as he was also trying to confirm who was speaking on behalf of the council. In the back of Markuul's head the name Prenar sat heavily, and the hope that it wasn't him sprang forth without warning.
Garak. Why am I not surprised? Brecat abandoned his thoughts and replied "I am uncertain as to who down here can be trusted as well. Currently I have been working alone and have yet to have anyone question my intentions or motives. I fear if I breath a word of this I'll end up executed soon after, and I've yet to hear any talk of whom may be orchestrating things. But if you give me a couple of days I can probably find a reason to get into the facility where the council is being held and do my best to pick up anything that could give us a clue." He'd go over his list of officers awaiting assignment and see if anyone may be in that area. Even walking through would give him a chance to listen to the conversations of those that got too comfortable too soon.
The junior officer continued "How do we expect the Federation to be allowed in orbit and what should I expect for a signal from this O Flannagain? We'll have to meet in secret." Gul Tercet had always seemed to keep an eye on him but fortunately this particular discussion was going on during his usual lunch time so his absence was expected.
"My suggestion is to continue doing what you have been. If they have said nothing then they suspect nothing. Report in daily directly to me. Try to find out who is at the head of this. That is the key once we know the head we can sever it. The Federation will be allowed in orbit and to transport down as the general population are suffering because supplies and assistance have been cut off. If they intend on keeping the government they are going to have to allow Federation humanitarian aide. Once I have the Commander's transport coordinates I will transmit them to you. I would like you to meet them when they transport in. From that point on you are to check in with them until this situation is resolved. The Pioneer will arrive in three days, during that time your mission objectives are to discover who is at the top, and make sure that Garak and the Council stay alive no matter the cost." Markuul could sense that Brecat had a little apprehension toward Garak, but who didn't. Garak did a lot of things different and that could be why Cardassia thrived under his administration. But then again there were the dissidents and Markuul knew with Brecat's help they would do away with those dissidents.
Fortunately with his role he could make up an excuse to go just about anywhere so finding a reason to meet with the Federation representatives wouldn't be too difficult. He would however have to come up with a way to distract his direct supervisor because if Tercet caught on, this would all be for not. "Very well sir. I will endeavor to answer those questions, however I do have one request which is that I be authorized to report in to you at random times over the next few days. We want no semblance of patterns that someone could pick up on. I'm already not terribly favored as it is." That meant he'd have to keep everything low key. "I will work with the Commander as best I can but I will be hard pressed to give up any state secrets."
As for keeping the council alive Brecat had no clue how he'd accomplish that feat aside from not allowing himself to be found out. He hated the idea of relying on the Federation to save them but at the moment it was apparent he didn't have a choice. "Is there a plan being devised so we can break the lockout and allow our own reinforcements to arrive?" Brecat himself was no good when it came to breaking encryption although he had some pretty good programs for generating a needed algorithm.
Markuul was impressed although he did not let any facial expression show that. It seemed that Brecat had an aptitude for being undercover, this was something the Gul would not soon forget. "You can report in whenever your mission will allow you, but make sure it is at least once per day. I need to stay as up to date on the events as possible. The CDF is working on the lockout. Once we overcome it we will be beaming down reinforcements. Something that can assist in that is looking into what all the highest members of authority on the planet have in common. It was by their own command that the planet was locked down." Markuul inhaled deeply through his nose, he hated talking in speculation, however at the moment he had no choice.
"I have an instinct here that the Obsidian Order is back and behind all of this. If I am correct then anything could be happening down there. That is what I need to confirm. Hopefully, I am incorrect. But Glen Jerane in my experience with the fleet I have rarely been incorrect." Markuul smirked smugly at his remark.
Another needle in a haystack presented before him. Jerane would do his best to go through any public records and search for any patterns he could find in the behaviors of those whom had decided to go against the council. Digging through any of their official systems would for certain get him flagged. The process he was enacting was similar to what he'd learned in the academy for tactical analysis but this time he'd be forced to rely on unofficial sources which was a gamble at best and only increased the risk in volatility of what he may be providing to the Gul to make proper determinations. But once again Brecat didn't have a choice and the clock was ticking. He'd dedicate his evenings to the necessary investigation.
"I will ensure the conclusions I reach are reported accordingly. And if there's one thing I've learned the hard way the last few years it's that when a senior commander such as yourself comes to a conclusion you're usually spot on." Another pattern Brecat had recognized which was typically based off of experience versus a pure guess. Before he forgot to do so Jerane made a quick mental note of the source frequency and code from where Gul Markuul had contacted him from as well as the current encryption algorithm so he could reach back out to the man and ensure he never used this same code again.
"Very well Glen I look forward to hearing from you." Markuul replied curtly. He made the decision then and there to look into the Glen's father's disappearance. It is the least he could do for everything that Brecat was undertaking.
Brecat had also made note of the time and would need to find a few minutes to quickly eat lunch before returning to his duties. Additionally the longer they continued to talk the longer they risked being caught. "Long live Cardassia, Gul Markuul."
"For the glory of the Union." Markuul replied and closed the channel. He had thrown down the gauntlet and now he hoped he threw it down with the right side.
A Joint Post By
Glen Brecat Jerane
CDF Liasion, USS Pioneer
Gul Markuul
Commanding Officer, CDF
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